1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system such as a copying machine, printer and the like, and a process cartridge removably mountable within such image forming system, and more particularly, it relates to an image forming system and a process cartridge each having parts which are reusable even after the disassembling or destruction of the image forming system and the process cartridge.
2. Related Background Art
In an image forming system and a process cartridge removably mountable within the image forming system, it is preferable that parts or elements are reused as much as possible from the view points of economization and/or environment protection. That is to say, various parts which constitute the process cartridge a previously used image forming system that has been withdrawn from use, for example, because the photosensitive member, has worn out are preferably reused in the manufacture of new process cartridges and image forming systems.
However, in the past, it was difficult to reuse abutment members abutting or urging against moving parts, since such abutment members and/or moving parts had been worn due to the frictional sliding therebetween.
For example, the case of a cleaning blade and a developer blade which are urged against a photosensitive drum will be considered. In the case of the cleaning blade, since it is made of urethane rubber or similar materials which are subjected to creep for a long time, if it is reused, a contacting pressure between the cleaning blade and the photosensitive drum, and a penetrating amount of the cleaning blade against the drum are decreased in comparison with the desired levels. Thus, when the cleaning blade is reused, the residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum cannot be removed completely, with the result that the toner still remaining on the drum may generate black stripes on a copied image. On the other hand, when the developer blade regulating an amount of developer (toner) adhering onto a developing roller is reused, the charge amount of the developer is decreased, thus reducing the image density.
Incidentally, in image forming systems not utilizing process cartridges, if such cleaning blade and/or developer blade are reused, the same problems will occur.